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KY State Seal Button CACHE, Scabbard Tip, Saddle Decoration--a FINE Hunt!

BuckleBoy

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Hello All,

Rodeo Recon and I got a chance to hit several great spots, and we finally got all the finds cleaned, ID'ed, and ready to post. It has taken a while. We did two hunts on the same property, and so now I'm posting both the first hunt and the return trip. (Yes, there will be yet another return trip after this cold snap breaks... :) ) Sorry for the lack of "action" photos--we were too busy diggin!

So here's the story. We are hunting a very old parcel of land for our area, and the jury is still out on whether or not we've found our target--the Oldest Structure built on that land. (Although we have found Two other house sites and a Mill in the last two hunts, and had a Lot of fun finding those :thumbsup: )

We first secured permission from the wonderful property owner (we've developed a great relationship with him and his sons--after hunting several other sites this summer and fall that he owned). Then we got out on the site. Looking at the deeds, census records, topo maps, plat maps, and other Top Secret Documents from the Buckleboy Files :wink: we got hunting. Here's a photo Rodeo snapped of me during his "briefing" before the hunt:

Buckles Surveys.webp

We walked out into the middle of the 170 acre plot of land and started up on a knoll at one of the "target areas" I wanted to hit. After seeing some brick, pottery, and other items, we knew we should turn the machines on and take the bean field by storm. Flat buttons immediately started coming up--a Good sign. Here's a photo of one in the clod:

Flat Button In Dirt.webp

We seemed to have walked ourselves into a little button patch. The buttons were everywhere. (It is unusual for us to dig more than a couple flat buttons per hunt, but this hunt we found 19 of them.) Pretty soon I dug a deep, iffy signal and out popped a "muffin-style" cuff button that I just *knew* would be a good one. Picking the button up, I could make out the motto from the Kentucky State Seal "United We Stand / Divided We Fall" shimmering in GOLD underneath the dirt. :o

Ky Cuff In Dirt.webp

KY Cuff In Hand.webp

After sharing the find with Rodeo, we kept at it--digging two IH's in the process. (These appear in the "uncleaned finds" photos--but they were given to the property owner, along with a Fine display case of items.) Here's one of those Fatties:

Flat Button In Dirt1.webp

Pretty soon, I dug the back from a "muffin-style" coat button--then another, and I started to wonder if there were more intact State Seal buttons there waiting for us. Sure enough, I dug a Kentucky State Seal Coat button:

Ky Coat 1 In Hand.webp

Then I got another back from one (front had disintegrated and was nowhere to be found). I'd now found a total of three partial KY Coat buttons, one complete coat button, and one cuff button. At this point I realized that the whole coat had been tossed out at some point, and had rotted, the buttons to be scattered around by the plow. :o The whole while, Rodeo was cleaning up on the flat buttons and other cool relics--including a nice intact Crotal Bell and a Colonial Era Barrel Tap.

About 15 minutes later, I dug a nice brass signal and saw this in the clod--yet another KY button. With this, my final KY button for the day, the total stood at Five Coat buttons and one Cuff button. ;D

KY Coat 2 In Dirt.webp

KY Coat 2 In Hand.webp

The finds in the button patch started to slack off a bit, so I circled around behind the site, following the ridge back toward the road, looking for the barn site. I've seen three late-date Indian Head Cents, a Two Cent Piece, and a CN Indian Head come from barn sites this year--and that's plenty reason for me to try and find the sites, dig through the iron and brass rivets, and find the relics and coins! Well, I got out there and found...no iron! So I circled back around the other way after taking this photo of Rodeo as a speck in the distance:

Rodeo In Field.webp

Although we couldn't manage to find the barn (too much area and not enough time!), we thinned the site out considerably before we had to walk the half a mile back through the field to get Rodeo to work on time. I fanned out and dragged my feet a bit on leaving the site because I wanted to run a quick pattern through a few more "target areas" on the way back to the car. The first area I hit was a strikeout. No iron anywhere. The second area I hit--I started seeing brick! I heard Rodeo say "I'm going to the car to drop off the gear--meanwhile see if you can dig up a find!" I lit into that iron patch with a vengeance, since there were so many tiny pieces of brick in the field there it was like walking on a Brick Carpet. :o Sure enough, flat buttons started turning up. Rodeo ran back from the car swinging like a Rabid Alpaca, hoping to snag just one more find before leaving the site. We got a few more buttons with our last minutes there, and then I had to "bend" the speed limit a hair to get him to work on time. :-X

So here are the Barrel Tap, a Cool Pewter button with an "X" on it, and the Crotal Bell. (The rest of the story, and more good photos are in the first reply below...)

Barrel Tap.webp

Pewter Button.webp

Croatal Bell.webp
 
Upvote 0
Buckleboy,Your really on top of your game bro. Those buttons and relics are awesome. I love seeing a haul like that and a few old coins thrown in is just the icing on the cake. Nice job also on showing your appreciation to the landowner,good karma is on it's way!!
Jerry
 
Congrats on finding some nice spots, all them buttons are awesome shows research pays off, hope you pull alot more nice relics from there and some nice coins! HH!
 
WOW way to go in GREAT finds keep it up love to see what you post next!

Hutch
 
What a fantastic hunt. Nice buttons. How wonderful to be able to hunt a property with so much history and possibility! congrats
 
Mine are pretty slim in the photos, because I gave a good bit to the property owner...and to be honest, the way that older gentleman looked like a kid on Christmas Morning was the Real Find for me. It made my week.

That's a very good gesture on your part. I'm sure you frequently do it without even thinking. :thumbsup:

Wow, that's a lot of iron in that pic! :o The iron in my parks consists of some rusty nails/bolts; enough to fit in a small pocket. Looks like you need a small wagon to haul all of that iron out. ;D

Nice buttons. Some of those cleaned up very nicely!

Great pics of your field and your finds, Buckles!

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan
 
OMG !!!! What a hunt !!!

That must be a great field you're in.... I'm happy with two or three 'diggable' targets in the fields I hunt around here !!!!

That's an amazing group buttons !!!!

Great job (as usual)

Brian in MA
 
Way to go. Super great finds. I really like those buttons. :thumbsup:
Dman
 
They are some pretty buttons, But I really like the Star shield.
Congrats on all of the finds :thumbsup: :icon_sunny: :thumbsup:
That is two pretty good hunts
I know that we will see some more pics from this place

fortbball9
 
Oh man, finds like these just make me green with envy. ;D ;D Seriously BB, fantastic finds. :thumbsup: Glad you gave the owner some of them too, that just made his day. Thank you!!

:wink: RR
 
Wow very nice finds, those State Seal buttons are great!
 
Wow...talk about a fantastic day. I'll admit, days like that can make a guy envious, but you all certainly deserve it considering the time you spend researching and braving the extreme temperatures. Do you throw away your iron buckles? I noticed one in the iron pic
 
HolyMoly! Those GS buttons are amazing. Love the shield too. BUT, the most impressive pic is the iron pile. I only wish I was able to do that. I try, but the ole back won't let me. What do you charge for descrapping a site? ;D :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
kimsdad said:
Wow! Great finds!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: I can't believe all that iron!

Let's see - wind chill in the 20's, windy, no sun, and with that amount of digging, I think I'd sleep 24 hours after those hunts!

Yeah, I think I did sleep about 10 hours!


Newt said:
Any member slots left in the brigade. I think the logo will bring me more luck.
Newt

Sorry, buddy. But if you ever need any help with research, let me know. I'll help in any way I can.


watercolor said:
Absolutely splendid! :thumbsup:

You must have been saving all the good sites for the end of the year :wink:

Take care & HH!
watercolor

Not really--we just couldn't get at most of them earlier, since there was crop in the fields. I knew this one would be a good bit of land, though--everything research-wise pointed to that. So as long as this cold snap breaks, we'll have some more goodies to post.


Muddy Waters in NC said:
Better change your name from Buckleboy to Buttonboy!

2008 Buckles/Plates: FOUR 2008 CW Buttons: Sixteen


Yeah, I guess I do find more Buttons than Buckles. :D

{Sentinel} said:
Well done Will. Those are some beautiful buttons :wink: I really like that you found not only coat buttons but a cuff to make a "set" and the gilt that still remains on them is remarkable. Did you give all the Kentucky Buttons to the owner? If so, I surely see why he was like "a kid at Christmas" as that is a very rare and eye popping gift for people who love history as us. I enjoyed the story-telling and the "Odin and Thor" line was great :wink:

In addition to the KY buttons, that Saddle shield that Rodeo found is awesome too. Very nice recovery there Rodeo! Congrats to you and Will, I will get out there to hunt with you guys one of these days :wink: :wink: HH

Sentinel

Sentinel,

I just couldn't part with the KY buttons. I ended up giving the owner almost all of my other finds, though--and Rodeo Recon contributed to the display case as well. Then I went through and did a write-up on the history of the land, an ID sheet for the finds, even a patent diagram for several parasol clips we included. The owner actually Handed the display case back to me and seemed overjoyed when I refused it and told him that we brought it for him and his family to enjoy.

Hopefully this cold snap will end and we won't have to go digging as Odin and Thor again for a while :tard:



Best Wishes,



Buckles
 
YES INDEED,A FINE HUNT!!!!!
Congrats :thumbsup:
love reading your post and seeing all your treasures,and thanks for
all the helpful info you share with us. :icon_study:
 
that is a lot of iron... most of the iron in my yard is nails/bolts...
Captn_SE said:
Mine are pretty slim in the photos, because I gave a good bit to the property owner...and to be honest, the way that older gentleman looked like a kid on Christmas Morning was the Real Find for me. It made my week.

That's a very good gesture on your part. I'm sure you frequently do it without even thinking. :thumbsup:

Wow, that's a lot of iron in that pic! :o The iron in my parks consists of some rusty nails/bolts; enough to fit in a small pocket. Looks like you need a small wagon to haul all of that iron out. ;D

Nice buttons. Some of those cleaned up very nicely!

Great pics of your field and your finds, Buckles!

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan
 
Lookin said:
Great hunting and posting, BB!!  I wish it wasn't dark when I headed to work in the morning and about dark when I get home!  Glad to see somebody here in the Bluegrass is able to get out and hunt!

Best of luck,

Lookin

Find a day with some good weather, skip work, and get diggin.  :thumbsup:  :wink:

Ohio Jerry said:
Buckleboy,Your really on top of your game bro. Those buttons and relics are awesome. I love seeing a haul like that and a few old coins thrown in is just the icing on the cake. Nice job also on showing your appreciation to the landowner,good karma is on it's way!!
Jerry

Jerry,

Thanks for your reply, buddy.  I pretty much do o.k. without the karma--but it's always nice to have a little saved up for the future.  :)


collector_1 said:
Congrats on finding some nice spots, all them buttons are awesome shows research pays off, hope you pull alot more nice relics from there and some nice coins! HH!

Thanks, collector!  I like the buttons too--even if they're plain, any of 'em could be a Jackson Victory button :o or some other interesting one.  And at the very least, when you start seeing buttons--the coins usually follow close behind.

Captn_SE said:
That's a very good gesture on your part.  I'm sure you frequently do it without even thinking.   :thumbsup:

Wow, that's a lot of iron in that pic!  :o  The iron in my parks consists of some rusty nails/bolts; enough to fit in a small pocket.  Looks like you need a small wagon to haul all of that iron out.  ;D

Nice buttons.  Some of those cleaned up very nicely!

Great pics of your field and your finds, Buckles!

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan

Thanks, Captn!  We haul all the iron out in heavy-duty backpacks.  The farmers are always happy to see it hauled off.  I also make sure to move any big foundation stones over to the corner of the fields if possible, too.  The buttons took an hour or two of delicate work each--with aluminum jelly and a wooden skewer to clean.  I'm not done with the one on the top right in the case yet, but was getting tired of cleaning buttons.  :P

In terms of sharing with property owners, good karma always comes back--as long as you give without expecting anything in return.  And you can tell which property owners are genuinely interested and will appreciate gifts from you.  Once in a while there will be owners that are greedy, or unkind, but heck--we knock on so many doors, there are bound to be bad apples and bad experiences occasionally.  By now, I'd say I've knocked on around a Thousand doors in 16 years (probably more, since this this only averages 4-5 hunts a month).  Sometimes, I've had to knock on three or four doors to find out who owned a certain piece of land, and get permission to hunt just one property. 

Out of all of those people, I can only think of maybe Ten folks who were downright mean to me.  Of course, there were some folks that said "No," but after so many years, those fade from memory.  Now...the ones who said "Yes" and were great people--those folks I will treasure in memory forever...and every time I look at the finds, I think about all the folks who were so kind in letting me detect throughout the years.


So I guess all of this is to say...the longer one does this, the easier it is to give back.  The 300th Indian Head Cent you find doesn't isn't quite as special to you as the first dozen were.


Best Wishes,



Buckleboy 
 
Wow----Those are some awesome finds Buckles :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I really enjoyed the great pics and post.
I have been so busy hunting before the ground freezes That I missed your post.
A great hunt my friend. :thumbsup:
 
Merf said:
Wow----Those are some awesome finds Buckles :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I really enjoyed the great pics and post.
I have been so busy hunting before the ground freezes That I missed your post.
A great hunt my friend. :thumbsup:

I understand. I was so busy hunting four days in a row that I missed your last post too. :-\ I have a feeling that we'll have a chance to catch up when the snow is a foot deep... But until then, you're right--we must keep pulling the relics and coins out of the ground.


Best Wishes,


Buckles
 
I've been looking at this for the last 2 days great story, photo's, and finds especially the
buttons and the shield and to top it off both of you sharing with the owner :thumbsup:
the only spot i have is an 1850's home with a manicured lawn and the ground is frozen here
so i'm about done for this year your bunch ( The Iron Brigade) has fields get out there
while you can and dig it up good luck out there @ HH
 

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